Epidemiological Analysis of Hospitalized Children with Acute Asthma Exacerbation over 30 Years.

OBJECTIVES

To provide an evidence-based reference for preventing and managing pediatric acute asthma exacerbations by examining epidemiology and long-term trends of hospitalized cases in a tertiary hospital in Beijing over 30 years.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinical data from children hospitalized for acute asthma exacerbation at Peking University Third Hospital from 1994 to 2023. Data collected included demographics, onset timing, and hospital stay duration, with distribution patterns analyzed across ages, years, seasons, and months.

RESULTS

The study included 1106 patients (65.73% male, 34.27% female) with a median age of 4 years. Hospitalizations peaked in 1999 (8.40%) and declined, reaching the lowest point in 2020 (1.45%) coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Most admissions occurred in autumn (34.27%), especially in October (13.29%). The average hospital stay was 5.35 ± 2.65 days, longest for toddlers.

CONCLUSIONS

Over 30 years, pediatric hospitalizations for acute asthma exacerbations in this tertiary center have shown a declining trend, suggesting improved asthma management. However, the persistent autumn peak and male predominance highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies-particularly for male and preschool-aged children before the autumn school term-to further reduce acute exacerbations and hospitalizations.